They still ROCK you!

THERE WAS a sort of “half-hearted” mood to the crowd ahead of last Friday’s “Queen + Adam Lambert” concert at Impact Arena last Friday. No one knew quite what to expect from the venerable British rock band now fronted by a young American pop singer in place of the late great Freddie Mercury.
Would this be papaya salad without the chillies – or without the papaya? For most fans the question was moot. They knew that, regardless, this might be their only chance to see Queen live, even if pared down to two of its original members. The band had never been to Thailand in almost four decades of recording and touring.
So, even if it was just guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor along with Adam Lambert – the sensation of US television’s “American Idol” – it was going to be a memorable event. And in the end, it turned out to be a very tasty, nicely spiced papaya salad and a great performance. Freddie was missed, but “in a good way”.
No one in the packed hall was disappointed. The fans, mostly middle-aged, enjoyed every drumbeat, guitar riff and vocal refrain. It was all very close to the Queen they worshipped in their student days in the ’80s. And the generous contingent in the crowd from the YouTube generation brought plenty of love for Lambert too.
The tour’s title itself, “Queen + Adam Lambert”, indicated that the young singer wasn’t meant to be a “replacement” for Mercury. And Lambert knew his place. He didn’t attempt to impersonate Freddie, and even acknowledged from the stage, “I have big shoes to fill!” With that he pulled up a pant leg to show a substantial platform boot.
“I know you guys love him, and I love him too,” Lambert said of Mercury, but he reckoned the late singer’s spirit was present in the show.
His own contribution was pure Adam Lambert, a teasing, playful, cabaret-style humour injected into the proceedings to generate welcome laughter. Even the die-hard Freddie fans had to admire him, and the concert proved highly enjoyable even without “Mercury rising”.
The crowd was ready to roll well before the lights dimmed, clapping out the rhythm to “We Will Rock You”, and when the band hit the stage they were inundated with cheers. The first songs were instantly recognisable right from the intros – “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Killer Queen” – and when it came to the vocals, Lambert absolutely nailed it.
Full credit where it’s due: He effortlessly hit the high notes on “The Show Must Go On”, close to matching Mercury’s remarkable, show-stealing range. “The spirit of Freddie is here,” Lambert declared, and he was obviously right, but as further proof, Mercury appeared on the big video screen, singing along as May played an acoustic version of “Love of My Life”. It was time for some tears – and a rousing chorus sung with an old friend.
Taylor and May no doubt decided to take the lead on the more meaningful tunes – or let the virtual Mercury handle them – so Lambert sat out a few numbers. Freddie duly reappeared for a verse in “Bohemian Rhapsody”, by far the greatest of Queen’s greatest hits.
So all the ingredients were in place. May’s guitar solos and Taylor’s drumming duels with his son, Rufus Tiger Taylor, ensured that the supreme Queen moments felt much like the good old days.
Adding substantially to the spectacle was a state-of-the-art light-and-sound show designed and conducted by Rob Sinclair, who’s previously worked with Kylie Minogue and Adele.
The stunning production and almost seamless sequencing of songs boosted audience emotions to the max.
The encore was all about immortality. The fans were rabid to hear “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” back to back, as in Queen’s heyday, and that’s what they got. Not even Lambert’s powerful voice could withstand the roar of the blissed-out crowd.
In the end, of course, the fans still wanted more, but they had to admit that May, Taylor and Lambert had brought them plenty, including a visit, in spirit at least, with the formidable Freddie Mercury.